Registration and Welcome Coffee

Welcome and Introduction

Anja Lange

Moderator,

IDC Opening Keynote: Enterprise AI in 2026: Time to Show Value

IDC’s research shows that although implementation of AI is now widespread across Europe, most organizations have implemented “shallow AI”, and the results (if there are any) are limited to modest improvements in personal productivity for workers and managers. Many senior business leaders, though, expect that AI will enable real business transformation – and so they expect to see measurable business value that significantly affects one or more KPIs.

In this presentation Neil Ward-Dutton will share where organizations are today, what is holding them back, and what steps some organizations are taking to deliver the results that senior leaders are looking for.

Neil Ward-Dutton

VP Global Enterprise AI and Agentic AI Strategies, IDC

End User Keynote: From Zero to Impact? Reflections on Structuring AI Programs for Value

The presentation will outline the Südzucker Group’s AI transformation programme, launched in 2025, and demonstrate how a shared yet adaptable AI technology strategy can be developed. The focus is on the goal of broadly empowering employees in their use of AI while simultaneously increasing efficiency in production, operations and business processes in a targeted manner – using different technologies (not just GenAI) and deployment models in a rapidly evolving technological world.

Dr. Michael Schuhmacher

Head of Artificial Intelligence, Südzucker Group

End User Keynote: RRR AI: Ready, Responsible and ROI Driven

Artificial Intelligence has moved from experimentation to boardroom priority. Yet many organizations remain stuck between promising pilots and scalable impact. The real challenge is not building AI models — it is building AI that organizations are ready for, that stakeholders trust, and that delivers measurable business value.

The session explores – under an executive perspective – how organizations can:

• Build the data, technology, and workforce foundations required for AI at scale
• Embed trust, governance, and compliance to ensure responsible AI adoption
• Shift from experimentation to AI investments that deliver measurable business impact

Drawing on real enterprise transformation experiences, the keynote provides practical insights for leaders seeking to move beyond AI hype toward trusted, scalable, and value-creating AI.

Attendees will leave with a clear perspective on how to turn AI ambition into sustainable transformation power.

Mercedes Pantoja

Head of Global Data &AI, Siemens Healthineers

End User Keynote: Artificial intelligence caught between innovation, data and trust

Artificial intelligence and modern data analysis open up new possibilities for police and security authorities. The Hamburg Police Department demonstrates how technological innovation can be used responsibly – in accordance with data protection, regulatory requirements and the demand for digital sovereignty. A concrete practical example illustrates how modern technologies strengthen the police’s ability to act in digital spaces while also ensuring trust.

Agenda

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Coffee Break & Networking

End User Panel: Scalable application of agentic AI – managing innovation and integration

Strategic Session

Tech Talks

End User Keynote: Next-Gen AI Agents: Transforming the way we think, work and communicate

Artificial Intelligence agents are rapidly evolving from theoretical concepts into practical tools that drive innovation across industries. AI Agents are increasing work efficiency and productivity across the business units of a company. However, upskilling with AI Education is extremely important to achieve the true potential of AI Agents and achieve higher adaption rate. In this session, I will share firsthand experiences and insights on developing AI agent Hub within Dish to empower business units, automate workflows, and unlock new value for customers. I will share insights from Sales to customer support how business stream focussed AI Agents made Dish to be not just efficient but also cost-effective.  We focussed on RoI driven AI transformation from day one, which is critical to gain the management trust. I will also address best practices for scaling AI agent solutions, challenges faced during implementation, and future trends that may shape the next generation of intelligent enterprise tools. Whether you are a developer, business leader, technologist or even a C-level management, you will come away with actionable knowledge and inspiration to leverage AI agents for transformative business outcomes

Dr. Pankaj Kumar Mishra

Global Head of AI Product, Metro.digital

End User Keynote: Efficiency today, innovation tomorrow: the two-horizon model of AI transformation

The introduction of artificial intelligence is no longer purely a technological issue, but rather a management task. In this presentation, Gordon Nüsch (Director of AI, Rowohlt Verlag) shows how companies need to think in terms of two strategic horizons: while the first horizon ensures immediate efficiency gains through the concrete use of tools, the second horizon aims to enable genuine innovation and new business models through profound technology integration. The key to successfully tapping into both horizons is people. Learn how targeted change management and upskilling initiatives can not only accelerate work processes, but also empower your teams to support the transition from pure application to active redesign of value creation.

Gordon Nüsch

Director AI, Rowohlt Verlag

End User Keynote: Why AI projects get stuck in companies: What really prevents successful implementation

Most AI projects fail not because of the technology, but because the company is not ready for implementation. Pilot projects cannot be rolled out if departments do not take responsibility, operational structures are lacking, data is scattered and AI results are not incorporated into real work processes. Based on the experience of Lufthansa Group Business Services, this presentation shows how companies can move from individual experiments to beneficial AI capabilities – through targeted work on organisation, architecture and responsibilities.

The most important takeaways from the presentation are:

• AI projects usually fail not because of the technology, but because of a lack of preparation within the company.
• Common problems: departments do not take responsibility, operational structures are lacking, data is scattered, no integration into work processes.
• The presentation shows the path from pilot projects to scalable AI capabilities.
• Focus on organisation, system architecture and clear responsibilities.

Carlos Diaz

Head of Data Analytics & AI, Lufthansa Group Business Service

Lunch & Networking

Presentation of the Connect Roundtable Sessions

Anja Lange

Moderator,

Option to change tables

End User Keynote: AI for smart citizen services and document processing

The presentation provides a brief overview of AI applications within Munich’s city administration, such as the automated processing of citizen enquiries and the optimisation of administrative processes – both within the administration and in contact with citizens. The architecture of the AI systems and the underlying technologies will also be presented.

Leon Lukas

Leiter KI Competence Center, Landeshauptstadt München

Tech Pitch Panel

Coffee Break & Networking

End User Keynote: Culture beats technology: our path to AI maturity

Technology is only half the battle – without the right culture, any AI initiative will remain a pilot project. This presentation highlights how we managed to transform a service company with no prior AI experience from having “no AI expertise” to becoming an AI-ready organisation. The focus is on the human and organisational factors that make the difference: Mindset and acceptance: How we overcame scepticism and built trust. Competence development: Reskilling programmes and AI literacy for all levels. Governance and structures: The formal framework for sustainable AI use.

Mike Abé

Head of Data Strategy and AI, Dussmann Group

End User Keynote: AI beyond the hype: Real process efficiency along the value chain

Data and AI, especially generative AI (GenAI), are publicly touted as game changers for effectiveness and efficiency. However, in the operational reality of many companies, disillusionment is setting in: the hoped-for efficiency gains are not materialising – despite successfully completed proof-of-concepts.

There are many reasons for this. These include insufficient data quality and availability, high process variance, complex and heterogeneous IT landscapes, restrictive or overly complex IT governance structures, and a lack of mindset and low acceptance among employees.

Based on concrete experiences at Porsche Engineering, the presentation shows how a company-wide AI programme can be designed and implemented, what results have been achieved, and what typical challenges arise in the process. The aim is to provide practical insights and recommendations for action on how AI initiatives can be scaled sustainably and used effectively along the value chain.

Nikola Aschoff

Head of Data Engineering, AI & Simulation, Porsche Engineering GmbH

Closing End User Keynote: Understanding travellers with artificial intelligence – and the role AI agents play in this

In long-distance transport, 8 million customer feedback responses are collected each year from a wide variety of touch points. Using AI models, this information is processed in real time and made available to the relevant units, such as train crews, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and improving the customer experience.

Dr. Axel Schulz

Head of AI and Data Intelligence Center, DB Fernverkehr

Wrap Up & Closing

Anja Lange

Moderator,

Networking with Drinks and Finger Food